Abdi's behaviour on day of arrest points to schizophrenia, inquest hears

The Abdirahman Abdi inquest is being livestreamed during weekdays here. 

The erratic way Abdirahman Abdi acted in the moments before he crossed paths with Ottawa police showed signs of schizophrenia, a psychiatrist testifying at the coroner's inquest into his death says. 

Abdi, 38, was a Somali-Canadian man who struggled with his mental health. He died in July 2016, a day after he was violently arrested following reports he'd been groping people.

The inquest is diving into the circumstances of his death in an effort to prevent other people from meeting the same fate.

Dr. Gary Chaimowitz, a psychiatrist, is testifying Wednesday as an expert. He did not treat Abdi — the inquest has already heard from those who did. 

But Chaimowitz did conduct a comprehensive review of Abdi's case and produced his own report. 

Based on people's descriptions of Abdi's wide-ranging behaviour on the morning of July 24, 2016 — a mix of catatonia, sexual assault, and gestures such as extending his hand out for a handshake — as well as evidence he was hearing voices and seeing things in the months before, Abdi likely suffered from schizophrenia and was probably misinterpreting what was going on around him, Chaimowitz said. 

"Some of his behaviour appeared to be in response to something that was happening inside of his head," he said. "He was likely experiencing people around him differently."

Symptoms of schizophrenia usually become apparent in the teens or early 20s, but can manifest later, Chaimowitz said. 

'No history of psychiatric problems'

The inquest has heard some details about Abdi's medical past. According to an agreed statement of facts, Abdi's family brought him to the emergency room in February 2016 due to concerning changes in his behaviour, including not eating or sleeping well since late 2015. 

"There was no history of psychiatric problems," according to the statement.

Chaimowitz said he believed Abdi received good care from the psychiatrists who treated him over the first half of 2016.

While the inquest has heard that a bed shortage was not a factor when the last psychiatrist discharged Abdi despite his having residual symptoms, Chaimowitz said mental health care services require more funding in Ontario. 

If those extra resources were in place, there would be fewer interactions between people in crisis and police, he said.

Releasing people who are still experiencing symptoms increases the likelihood of them not taking their medication, he added. 

Abdi did not always take his oral anti-psychotic medication, in part because of his religious fasting practices, the inquest has also heard. Chaimowitz said doctors should discuss long-lasting injectables as early as possible with schizophrenia patients.

However, while Abdi was thought to shows signs "more evident of a schizophrenia spectrum illness" during his hospital stay in early July, he was not actually diagnosed with schizophrenia before being discharged. 

A schizophrenia diagnosis requires symptoms to be present for six months, Chaimowitz said.